DOWN THE GRAVEL ROAD from Mabe’s Deer Camp just off Wabasha County Road 21 a ways, hang a left and you’ve reached Mac’s Park Place Campground & Bar in rural Mazeppa.
Randy and I discovered Mac’s, at the foot of the Lake Zumbro dam, during a day trip into the Zumbro River Valley. It’s a restaurant, bar and campground. A hidden, at least for those unfamiliar with its location, community gathering spot.
Our stay was brief—long enough to enjoy drinks and cheese curds outside before securing permission to enter a gated area along the river. If you aren’t camping and want to fish here, you need to pay given the privately-owned riverside location. The river draws plenty of anglers from inside and outside the campground.
My impression of Mac’s links this place with the word “fun.” From meat raffles to bean bag tournaments, from live music (by the likes of The Smokin Coyotes, Ledfoot Larry, Fat City All-Stars and more) to karaoke, from burgers to buckets of beer, everything about Mac’s shouts a good time. I expect folks party hard here.
The grounds were abuzz with people, ATVs and golf carts in a packed campground, not a quiet outdoors camping-in-nature type of experience based on my observations. And that’s OK. Different folks like different experiences when escaping routine life.
I delight in discovering places like Mac’s. There’s something about a homegrown backroads business that draws people in. I picked up on a sense of community here that stretches far beyond camping, dining, drinking and fishing. People are connecting, enjoying life here in the Zumbro River Valley between Mazeppa and Oronoco.
Please check back for one final post focusing on the river and the Lake Zumbro dam.
© Copyright 2022 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
oh, how wonderful this discovery is! homegrown, natural fun, comfortable oasis
Exactly.
I did not know this Mac’s existed, not too far from our house. Nice find…how were the cheese curds?
Yes, not too far from Rochester. The cheese curds were good.
I did not know about the Zumbro River dam. We’ll have to check it out sometime.
I’m featuring the dam tomorrow with lots of photos. I think you’ll be impressed.
What a fun discovery –love finding hidden places.
These little out-of-the-way places are always interesting.
Hummmm… maybe not exactly the kind of camping location I need or am looking for…I will wait to hear what your final take on “MACS” is before I start that adventure.
Paula, the type of camping experience you enjoy is vastly different from what Mac’s offers. My final post focuses on the Lake Zumbro Dam and River.
I didn’t realize that there was a dam in that river.
I didn’t either, until I saw it.
Wabasha County 21… just fyi… 👍
Thank you so much for your kind words about Mac’s. My husband and I have a permanent campsite there (we’re into our 10th year) and you really hit the nail on the head. We’re a pretty tight community, very much a family. We’re all so grateful to have found this little slice of heaven and spend our weekends (sometimes weekdays) enjoying every single bit of it! Hopefully you’re able to come back & spend more time with us. If you do, order a burger……they’re phenomenal!
Catherine, it didn’t take me long to pick up on the sense of community which defines Mac’s. Thank you for sharing your personal experience there. You are the second reader who’s had such good things to say about the burgers.